Before the Israelites may enter the Promised Land, God renews His covenant with the people: "The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured posession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations that he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as promised." (Deuteronomy 26:16-19)
Please note the bi-directionality of the covenant. Not only would the Israelites follow after God, but He had promised His love and His esteeming the Israelites as His "treasured possession." By the covenant, both parties declared value in the other. When we hear "covenant" today, it is often associated with "obligation," but we can see that "love" lay very much in the center of this covenant.
Through the next portion of today's reading, we see how obedience would bring God's blessings, in terms of fruitfulness and prosperity. Like a loving Father, His hand would touch the Israelites if they remained close to Him. Yet, God would bring trouble upon the people if they strayed from the covenant, in the form of plagues, oppression, ruin, captivity, disease, and dispersion. In short, their disobedience would bring about many of the conditions and experiences that they had encountered both in the Egyptian bondage and the desert wanderings.
We might potentially look upon these curses as the outgrowth of fickleness on God's part. But, in reality, God would be fully justified in delivering the curses because the Israelites would have failed to uphold their end of the covenant. Sin would lead to their downfall, both in physical pain and spiritual distance from God. In much the same way, our actions today have consequences. We are fortunate that we may see the negative consequences of our poor decisions so that we will stop and turn away from them, in a process called repentance. Those consequences are much like the pain a child feels upon touching a hot stove; the pain of experience helps to refine our character and incline our hearts toward God.
God highlights that these curses would come upon the Israelites and that this covenant would indicate that the consequences had come because of the Israelites' forsaking the covenant. Echoing the concept of Romans 3:20, the covenant would make the Israelites conscious of boundaries and sin.
Two other characteristics of the covenant are noteworthy:
1) The opportunity of forgiveness at repentance. If the Israelites had fallen from the Lord but returned to Him in humility and "obey him with all your heart and with all your soul," He would "restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.... The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul." God offers renewal for each generation that wishes to follow Him. He is holy but compassionate, ready to receive those whose hearts are beating after His.
2) The balance of life and death. The covenant holds great weight. Deuteronomy 30:15-20 offers a beautiful exhortation. May we choose life:
"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
"But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
QUESTIONS
1. How does the covenant show God's faithfulness and concern to you?
2. How can you "choose life" in the decisions on your mind today?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
March 6
Blessings and Curses
You have finished the book of Leviticus!!! Congratulations!!!
Principles for the blessing of a nation: If the Israelites obeyed God and followed his Word there would be peace in the land. If they disobeyed, disaster would follow. God used sin’s consequences to draw them to repentance, not to get back at them.
Here is a list of the blessings of a nation following God:
1. Rain for the crops
2. Abundant harvests
3. Peace and safety in the land
4. Chasing away of enemies
5. God walks with them
6. They walk with heads held high
Here is a list of the curses of a nation that refuses to follow God:
1. Fear of sudden terror
2. Disease drains away life
3. Enemies defeat them
4. No strength for life, live in fear
5. Poor harvests
6. Cities in ruin
7. The nation eventually perishes
There is hope in these verses... verses 40-42 “'But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers ...... I will remember the land.”
When God’s people realize that God is in the disaster, and they humble themselves before him, then God will hear from heaven and heal the land. There is hope for every nation. Our hope lies in our relationship with God. Only 10 righteous people could have saved Sodom and Gomorrah. The greatest danger we face in the USA is that the people of God are not calling the nation to repentance. I do not expect our President to say to the nation, “It is time to pray.” I do expect that every Christian will say this. There is no hope for our nation coming from Washington. The hope for America lies in its churches.
2 Chron. 7:14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
It is time to pray!!!
You have finished the book of Leviticus!!! Congratulations!!!
Principles for the blessing of a nation: If the Israelites obeyed God and followed his Word there would be peace in the land. If they disobeyed, disaster would follow. God used sin’s consequences to draw them to repentance, not to get back at them.
Here is a list of the blessings of a nation following God:
1. Rain for the crops
2. Abundant harvests
3. Peace and safety in the land
4. Chasing away of enemies
5. God walks with them
6. They walk with heads held high
Here is a list of the curses of a nation that refuses to follow God:
1. Fear of sudden terror
2. Disease drains away life
3. Enemies defeat them
4. No strength for life, live in fear
5. Poor harvests
6. Cities in ruin
7. The nation eventually perishes
There is hope in these verses... verses 40-42 “'But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers ...... I will remember the land.”
When God’s people realize that God is in the disaster, and they humble themselves before him, then God will hear from heaven and heal the land. There is hope for every nation. Our hope lies in our relationship with God. Only 10 righteous people could have saved Sodom and Gomorrah. The greatest danger we face in the USA is that the people of God are not calling the nation to repentance. I do not expect our President to say to the nation, “It is time to pray.” I do expect that every Christian will say this. There is no hope for our nation coming from Washington. The hope for America lies in its churches.
2 Chron. 7:14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
It is time to pray!!!
Friday, March 5, 2010
March 5
Accountability day!!!
The Small Stuff Matters
Our passage today completely shakes up our “God in the Box” view of an angry and hostile God. The heart of God and his desire for his people to be kind and compassionate is revealed. Look at these incredible laws...
-Take care of the mother birds
-Don’t cut down fruit trees
-Treat the alien with respect and dignity
-Show esteem for the handicapped and elderly
-Have compassion for the poor
-Feed the less fortunate
-Take care of the orphans and widows
When we traveled to Russia in 1994 one of the top conversations we had with people were the steps necessary for them to become like the USA. They all wanted St. Petersburg to become the next New York City. We talked about the differences between capitalism and socialism. What I discovered was they had an inadequate view of the strengths and weaknesses of capitalism. They believed that if you just plugged in a capitalistic form of government you would get instant prosperity. But capitalism only works when you have moral and compassionate people practicing it. Capitalism cannot change the hearts of people to be kind and compassionate, only God can do that. The ugly side of capitalism has the rich taking advantage of the poor and the inevitable class envy that develops. Our founding fathers realized this and spoke to the importance of this moral foundation.
John Adams in a speech to the military in 1798 warned his fellow countrymen stating, "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence said. "The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be aid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments. Without religion, I believe that learning does real mischief to the morals and principles of mankind."
Noah Webster, author of the first American Speller and the first Dictionary said, "The Christian religion, in its purity, is the basis, or rather the source of all genuine freedom in government. . . . and I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of that religion have not a controlling influence."
Right now we are in a period where people are reacting to the abuses of capitalism. The political solution is for the US to become socialistic. The spiritual solution is for the US to experience a revival and for us to become kind and compassionate people. We stand at the crossroads this very day. Choose carefully what pathway you want to go down.
Thought for today.... Take 5 minutes out of your day and show compassion to someone. Maybe it will be buying a cup of coffee for someone, making a phone call, stopping by someone’s house to say “hello.” God has called his people to be compassionate.
The Small Stuff Matters
Our passage today completely shakes up our “God in the Box” view of an angry and hostile God. The heart of God and his desire for his people to be kind and compassionate is revealed. Look at these incredible laws...
-Take care of the mother birds
-Don’t cut down fruit trees
-Treat the alien with respect and dignity
-Show esteem for the handicapped and elderly
-Have compassion for the poor
-Feed the less fortunate
-Take care of the orphans and widows
When we traveled to Russia in 1994 one of the top conversations we had with people were the steps necessary for them to become like the USA. They all wanted St. Petersburg to become the next New York City. We talked about the differences between capitalism and socialism. What I discovered was they had an inadequate view of the strengths and weaknesses of capitalism. They believed that if you just plugged in a capitalistic form of government you would get instant prosperity. But capitalism only works when you have moral and compassionate people practicing it. Capitalism cannot change the hearts of people to be kind and compassionate, only God can do that. The ugly side of capitalism has the rich taking advantage of the poor and the inevitable class envy that develops. Our founding fathers realized this and spoke to the importance of this moral foundation.
John Adams in a speech to the military in 1798 warned his fellow countrymen stating, "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence said. "The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be aid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments. Without religion, I believe that learning does real mischief to the morals and principles of mankind."
Noah Webster, author of the first American Speller and the first Dictionary said, "The Christian religion, in its purity, is the basis, or rather the source of all genuine freedom in government. . . . and I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of that religion have not a controlling influence."
Right now we are in a period where people are reacting to the abuses of capitalism. The political solution is for the US to become socialistic. The spiritual solution is for the US to experience a revival and for us to become kind and compassionate people. We stand at the crossroads this very day. Choose carefully what pathway you want to go down.
Thought for today.... Take 5 minutes out of your day and show compassion to someone. Maybe it will be buying a cup of coffee for someone, making a phone call, stopping by someone’s house to say “hello.” God has called his people to be compassionate.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
March 4
Leviticus 11
Leviticus 11:47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.
I am a member of the Jewish Community Center and every time I walk to the gym, I pass the deli. On the front of this deli is the word “Kosher.” This means they serve food in line with these dietary laws we read today. It is clear that these laws drew a distinct line between “clean” and “unclean.” Now I don’t know all the reasons for these distinctions, some of them are for health reasons, The Maker’s Diet is a book about the benefits of these laws. I thought the book was great until the author recommended I eat dirt. There are also spiritual reasons for the laws because God wanted his people to avoid the dietary practices of the pagan in Canaan. Whatever the reason, the laws were a constant reminder that Israel was to be separated from the uncleanness of the world.
How does this apply to us as we live in 2010? Should we say “no” to those delicious pork chops that will be cooking on the grill soon? What about the way we prepare our meals, no cooking meat in milk? What sets us apart from the world today?
Here are the words of F. LaGard Smith, “What sets us apart from a godless world might be our dress, or perhaps food and drink from which we abstain. Modesty and sobriety and self-control are increasingly rare virtues. Yet dressing oddly doesn’t necessarily make us separate – only odd. And eating strangely doesn’t make us separate – only strange. If we truly want to be seen as separate, it will come in our conversations and values, in our material possessions and financial priorities. In what we listen to and what we watch. Interesting, isn’t it? Even today there’s a recognizable difference between “clean jokes” and “dirty jokes,” between “good clean fun” and “just plain filth.”
The purpose of us reading through the Bible this year is not to satisfy our intellectual curiosity, the purpose is to change our lives. How about removing some “unclean” stuff from your life today? Today is a great day to throw out some of the dirt in our lives. Ask God for strength and then take steps to become clean.
Leviticus 11:47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.
I am a member of the Jewish Community Center and every time I walk to the gym, I pass the deli. On the front of this deli is the word “Kosher.” This means they serve food in line with these dietary laws we read today. It is clear that these laws drew a distinct line between “clean” and “unclean.” Now I don’t know all the reasons for these distinctions, some of them are for health reasons, The Maker’s Diet is a book about the benefits of these laws. I thought the book was great until the author recommended I eat dirt. There are also spiritual reasons for the laws because God wanted his people to avoid the dietary practices of the pagan in Canaan. Whatever the reason, the laws were a constant reminder that Israel was to be separated from the uncleanness of the world.
How does this apply to us as we live in 2010? Should we say “no” to those delicious pork chops that will be cooking on the grill soon? What about the way we prepare our meals, no cooking meat in milk? What sets us apart from the world today?
Here are the words of F. LaGard Smith, “What sets us apart from a godless world might be our dress, or perhaps food and drink from which we abstain. Modesty and sobriety and self-control are increasingly rare virtues. Yet dressing oddly doesn’t necessarily make us separate – only odd. And eating strangely doesn’t make us separate – only strange. If we truly want to be seen as separate, it will come in our conversations and values, in our material possessions and financial priorities. In what we listen to and what we watch. Interesting, isn’t it? Even today there’s a recognizable difference between “clean jokes” and “dirty jokes,” between “good clean fun” and “just plain filth.”
The purpose of us reading through the Bible this year is not to satisfy our intellectual curiosity, the purpose is to change our lives. How about removing some “unclean” stuff from your life today? Today is a great day to throw out some of the dirt in our lives. Ask God for strength and then take steps to become clean.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
March 3
Leviticus 13
Today we reach the famous chapter on mildew!! Most people have no idea this chapter is in the Bible.
I just want you to know that today’s reading has declared me a clean man. Leviticus 13 says “when a man has lost his hair and is bald, he is clean.” There you have it, declared by Moses himself over 3000 years ago.
Today’s reading might be one of the most difficult to get through. I am sure you asked yourself several times, why all this fuss about uncleanness? The answer is, uncleanness and infectious disease must be kept in isolation. The strict quarantines are the only way to stop a contagious disease from spreading. So there’s nothing surprising about sending infected people outside the camp. There must also be the shouting of the words, “Unclean, Unclean.” Everyone must know the danger of this disease. All of these actions are for the protection of the community. The surprise comes when Israel is warned to follow the rules precisely, remembering what God did to Miriam! If you recall when Moses’ sister, Miriam, was critical of Moses’ interracial marriage, God regarded it as an open challenge to Moses’ spiritual leadership. Miriam’s punishment was to be kicked out of the camp for a week with leprosy.
The tie between Miriam’s sin and Miriam’s leprosy is significant. Although there is no automatic connection between disease and sin, in this case the connection was direct, and it raises the parallel between how one deals with an infectious disease and an infectious sin. Had Miriam been left unpunished for attacking Moses’ authority, it could have emboldened others who were already predisposed with a critical spirit. When spiritual infection is in the air, the cure is the same as for the physical infection - isolate the disease. But here’s the caution- not forever!! And never are we to do this unlovingly. It is to be done with the spirit for restoration and healing. It’s not the person we are trying to get rid of, only the disease.
How are you dealing with people who have a sin disease? Are you acting too harshly?
Credits to F. LaGard Smith for his insights into this passage.
Today we reach the famous chapter on mildew!! Most people have no idea this chapter is in the Bible.
I just want you to know that today’s reading has declared me a clean man. Leviticus 13 says “when a man has lost his hair and is bald, he is clean.” There you have it, declared by Moses himself over 3000 years ago.
Today’s reading might be one of the most difficult to get through. I am sure you asked yourself several times, why all this fuss about uncleanness? The answer is, uncleanness and infectious disease must be kept in isolation. The strict quarantines are the only way to stop a contagious disease from spreading. So there’s nothing surprising about sending infected people outside the camp. There must also be the shouting of the words, “Unclean, Unclean.” Everyone must know the danger of this disease. All of these actions are for the protection of the community. The surprise comes when Israel is warned to follow the rules precisely, remembering what God did to Miriam! If you recall when Moses’ sister, Miriam, was critical of Moses’ interracial marriage, God regarded it as an open challenge to Moses’ spiritual leadership. Miriam’s punishment was to be kicked out of the camp for a week with leprosy.
The tie between Miriam’s sin and Miriam’s leprosy is significant. Although there is no automatic connection between disease and sin, in this case the connection was direct, and it raises the parallel between how one deals with an infectious disease and an infectious sin. Had Miriam been left unpunished for attacking Moses’ authority, it could have emboldened others who were already predisposed with a critical spirit. When spiritual infection is in the air, the cure is the same as for the physical infection - isolate the disease. But here’s the caution- not forever!! And never are we to do this unlovingly. It is to be done with the spirit for restoration and healing. It’s not the person we are trying to get rid of, only the disease.
How are you dealing with people who have a sin disease? Are you acting too harshly?
Credits to F. LaGard Smith for his insights into this passage.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
March 2
Marriage, Divorce, and Sexual Relations
Today's reading outlines God's guidelines for marriage, divorce, and sexual relations. One may wonder why does God have all these rules and laws regarding this subject? Why does God care? Is God trying to make us live boring lives?
The reason for all these commands is God wants all areas of our lives to be holy like He is holy. He wants our relationships and marriages to be a reflection of His perfect love. The only way for this to be successful is for God to be the center of all relationships.
I was reminded of a book on marriage call Strangers, Lovers, Friends written by Urban Steinmetz (Travis's grandfather). I wanted to include a chapter from his book because I think he simply and clearly explains why we can never hope to make relationships work without the help of a perfect loving God.
Get Yourself a Loving God (from Strangers, Lovers, Friends)
Even among Christians, the gods that we worship come in all shapes and sizes. Often we mistakenly call these gods God and try to use a phony imitation to build a life on.
Much of our Christian world is engaged in the business of telling us about either god or God. Fathers and mothers are usually the first, and they probably teach us what lives with us the longest. Politicians tell us about god as election day approaches. More than 200 different varieties of preachers preach god, and sometimes God. Church schools beat us, bribe us, coax us, threaten us, and love us with an almighty.
The trouble with all these gods is that their press agents are people. Usually these people are sincere and honest. But many of them have not been loved enough. Instead, many of them have been hurt too often by too many people. So they cannot see Love clearly.
People who have been punished often in their lives tend to teach us about a punishing god. People who are afraid to come close to a loving and friendly God tell us about a dim and distant one who can only be approached on our knees. People who are insecure give us an insecure god, forever in need of praises, glories and hosannas. Church builders give us a church-building god, while those who worry about budgets present us with a god who first responds to dollars given. From people in high places we get gods who approve of high places and tell us that we must reverence the high office and not the person who fills it. Bookkeeping types give us bookkeeping gods who chart and graph our good and bad, while church organizations frequently offer us a god who is really an obedient second lieutenant, cheerfully endorsing and cosigning any orders that the great commanders of those organizations decree.
Our world, too, offers us a whole variety of gods, although our society doesn't call them that. But when we are asked to devote our entire lives to gathering money or power, to our profession, to education, even to the church, or to marriage, then we are being coerced to follow false gods. Our God is a jealous God, and he wants our lives committed first to him.
The incessant din of all these gods beats at our head for 20 years or more, and then we marry. Very shortly we discover that no one could possibly live with and continue to love the strange and complicated human being we all seem to marry without the help of that real God who sees things much more clearly than we do.
Unfortunately, that is also when we discover that we have no dependable and loving and real God at all. Instead, four of us enter nearly every Christian marriage: one man and one woman, but both bringing along their own separate and distinct and highly unlikely gods.
Sometimes a couple divorces these useless gods quite early in the marriage. More often, leftovers of these gods hang on, and are themselves the cause of endless, useless bickering. But sometimes - slowly, thoughtfully, prayerfully - God is substituted for these ungodly gods. Then the couple is on its way toward a genuine, mature and beautiful love. Now there are three people in the union totally committed to the same business - the business of creating love. And one of these people is mature enough, and wise enough, and caring enough to see through the hurt feelings and the unfeeling relatives and the disgusting habits to the real, loving people underneath.
Because God has been a close, personal and dependable friend for the past 20 years of my life, I have spent a great deal of time trying to tell others about him. Usually I have failed, even with my own children. Now I am facing the reason for that failure.
God doesn't really need another press agent who loudly shouts, "Follow God the Urb Steinmetz way." Too many people are already shouting, "Here is God," and "There is God," and confusing all of us. I am sure, now, that my friend doesn't want me to add to the confusion.
The truth of the matter is that each one of us has to find God individually. That is not as hard as it sounds. All that we need to do is sincerely face ourselves and admit that none of us is capable of loving alone. Then we can turn to God in honest confusion and say to him: "God, I am confused. I have heard so many different things about you that I don't know who you are or what you want from me. But I do know that I need you."
It may not even be important to know who God is. I do not think it is important to me. What is important is that I know that he is my friend, and that I can go to him any day at any hour of the day and he will listen to me, help me.
I am a person who is often afraid and often confused, and I think you are, too. I can't even imagine going through life without a friend who is never confused and never afraid, and who always loves me. I think it is silly to try to meet and love my wife, or my children, or a neighbor, or any other human being without that friend at my side to advise me.
So how do you find God? I guess I believe now that you don't find God. Instead, you approach him many times a day as a little child approaches his father and mother. You approach him in any way that you are comfortable with and tell him that you need him and that you want to do what he wants you to do and that you want to be his friend.
And then God finds you.
Today's reading outlines God's guidelines for marriage, divorce, and sexual relations. One may wonder why does God have all these rules and laws regarding this subject? Why does God care? Is God trying to make us live boring lives?
The reason for all these commands is God wants all areas of our lives to be holy like He is holy. He wants our relationships and marriages to be a reflection of His perfect love. The only way for this to be successful is for God to be the center of all relationships.
I was reminded of a book on marriage call Strangers, Lovers, Friends written by Urban Steinmetz (Travis's grandfather). I wanted to include a chapter from his book because I think he simply and clearly explains why we can never hope to make relationships work without the help of a perfect loving God.
Get Yourself a Loving God (from Strangers, Lovers, Friends)
Even among Christians, the gods that we worship come in all shapes and sizes. Often we mistakenly call these gods God and try to use a phony imitation to build a life on.
Much of our Christian world is engaged in the business of telling us about either god or God. Fathers and mothers are usually the first, and they probably teach us what lives with us the longest. Politicians tell us about god as election day approaches. More than 200 different varieties of preachers preach god, and sometimes God. Church schools beat us, bribe us, coax us, threaten us, and love us with an almighty.
The trouble with all these gods is that their press agents are people. Usually these people are sincere and honest. But many of them have not been loved enough. Instead, many of them have been hurt too often by too many people. So they cannot see Love clearly.
People who have been punished often in their lives tend to teach us about a punishing god. People who are afraid to come close to a loving and friendly God tell us about a dim and distant one who can only be approached on our knees. People who are insecure give us an insecure god, forever in need of praises, glories and hosannas. Church builders give us a church-building god, while those who worry about budgets present us with a god who first responds to dollars given. From people in high places we get gods who approve of high places and tell us that we must reverence the high office and not the person who fills it. Bookkeeping types give us bookkeeping gods who chart and graph our good and bad, while church organizations frequently offer us a god who is really an obedient second lieutenant, cheerfully endorsing and cosigning any orders that the great commanders of those organizations decree.
Our world, too, offers us a whole variety of gods, although our society doesn't call them that. But when we are asked to devote our entire lives to gathering money or power, to our profession, to education, even to the church, or to marriage, then we are being coerced to follow false gods. Our God is a jealous God, and he wants our lives committed first to him.
The incessant din of all these gods beats at our head for 20 years or more, and then we marry. Very shortly we discover that no one could possibly live with and continue to love the strange and complicated human being we all seem to marry without the help of that real God who sees things much more clearly than we do.
Unfortunately, that is also when we discover that we have no dependable and loving and real God at all. Instead, four of us enter nearly every Christian marriage: one man and one woman, but both bringing along their own separate and distinct and highly unlikely gods.
Sometimes a couple divorces these useless gods quite early in the marriage. More often, leftovers of these gods hang on, and are themselves the cause of endless, useless bickering. But sometimes - slowly, thoughtfully, prayerfully - God is substituted for these ungodly gods. Then the couple is on its way toward a genuine, mature and beautiful love. Now there are three people in the union totally committed to the same business - the business of creating love. And one of these people is mature enough, and wise enough, and caring enough to see through the hurt feelings and the unfeeling relatives and the disgusting habits to the real, loving people underneath.
Because God has been a close, personal and dependable friend for the past 20 years of my life, I have spent a great deal of time trying to tell others about him. Usually I have failed, even with my own children. Now I am facing the reason for that failure.
God doesn't really need another press agent who loudly shouts, "Follow God the Urb Steinmetz way." Too many people are already shouting, "Here is God," and "There is God," and confusing all of us. I am sure, now, that my friend doesn't want me to add to the confusion.
The truth of the matter is that each one of us has to find God individually. That is not as hard as it sounds. All that we need to do is sincerely face ourselves and admit that none of us is capable of loving alone. Then we can turn to God in honest confusion and say to him: "God, I am confused. I have heard so many different things about you that I don't know who you are or what you want from me. But I do know that I need you."
It may not even be important to know who God is. I do not think it is important to me. What is important is that I know that he is my friend, and that I can go to him any day at any hour of the day and he will listen to me, help me.
I am a person who is often afraid and often confused, and I think you are, too. I can't even imagine going through life without a friend who is never confused and never afraid, and who always loves me. I think it is silly to try to meet and love my wife, or my children, or a neighbor, or any other human being without that friend at my side to advise me.
So how do you find God? I guess I believe now that you don't find God. Instead, you approach him many times a day as a little child approaches his father and mother. You approach him in any way that you are comfortable with and tell him that you need him and that you want to do what he wants you to do and that you want to be his friend.
And then God finds you.
Monday, March 1, 2010
March 1: Personal Rights and Remedies
God loves order and freedom, and freedom is found in order. The laws we read of today continue to deal with social issues and disputes, providing the Israelites a code of law to help them live in a just society. Every society strives for freedom and justice. But the human is prone to disorder and the importance of 'mine' blinds us to seeing what is right, so we soon enough fight each other over property, money, ownership, etc. But God’s Creation was not only about the human 'me.' God made us to enjoy community with Him and each other in peace. He helped the Israelites with laws on property, inheritance, loans, labor, relationships, etc. God promised them constantly that if they follow His regulations they will receive blessings. However, those blessings may not necessarily be mainly for you and me, but for the overall community. For example, we read today that God gave number of commands on caring for the poor in Israel. In order to receive God’s blessings they had to give away: cancel loans, not charge interest, and give freely to their countrymen. How hard this must have been? But the promise is blessings for all Israel:
However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. (Deut 15:4-5)
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. (Deut 15:7-8)
God does not change. He still wants us to share the same peace and freedom with each other in our families, our nations and our world. He also still wants us to help the needy.
Praying that this week we all appreciate those just laws and freedoms we enjoy in our society today. But I also pray that God will place one thought of what each one of us can do, as small or as big a step it could be, to make a difference and make our society and our world better and more just - as God intends it to be. I know I should be doing more...
However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. (Deut 15:4-5)
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. (Deut 15:7-8)
God does not change. He still wants us to share the same peace and freedom with each other in our families, our nations and our world. He also still wants us to help the needy.
Praying that this week we all appreciate those just laws and freedoms we enjoy in our society today. But I also pray that God will place one thought of what each one of us can do, as small or as big a step it could be, to make a difference and make our society and our world better and more just - as God intends it to be. I know I should be doing more...
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